Tag Archive: corporate events

1. How to throw office parties that employees and co-workers actually enjoy!

   21st July 2020 2:28 pm Leave a Comment

   We all know that office and work-related parties can go one of two ways; they either consist of eager to please colleagues talking non-stop about work and boring fellow co-workers to death, or they can get a little wild and all the stresses of the job are released onto the dancefloor with that shy and timid employee unleashing her talent for robot dancing. We know which one we would prefer – wild all the way! It’s the only time that employees get to communicate socially outside of work, and you know what they say – a happy team is a productive team!

   If you’re now fearing that your office party is going to be a snooze fest, there’s no need to scrap those invitations and throw in the towel just yet as Big Foot Events have put together a list of tips on how to throw an office party that employees and co-workers will actually enjoy. The best part? All of our tips can already be found in the office and are designed to not break the bank!

   Before you start reading our tips and tricks on throwing a successful office party, take a look at our blog on unique, fun but above all affordable office party theme ideas here.

   Host the party during work hours

   The most important tip we can give you is to host your office party during office hours. If you think about it smartly then it actually makes sense. Here’s why; employees shouldn’t have to cancel their evening plans to attend a work function – better yet, they shouldn’t have to stress about finding a late-night babysitter in order to attend. Give employees an actual break from work by hosting the party during their normal work hours. This will not only create a buzz around the office, but it will ensure most employees are free to attend as they won’t have made other plans as they are normally at work during that time. You should also inform them that they won’t have to work late in order to make up lost time so that they can truly enjoy the party and not have to worry about making up the work.

   Incorporate games and entertainment

   Although it is a work-related party, it does not mean you can’t incorporate fun, engaging and a little competitive entertainment! Interactive games are a great way to break the ice and get people interacting with each other. What gets people talking to each other more than a little light-hearted competition? You should also include live entertainment for attendees to enjoy in order to not only keep them entertained throughout the evening, but to also make them desperate for an invite to the next kick-ass office party.

   Check out our blog on fun, interactive and unique dinner party entertainment ideas here.

   Make sure there is Party food

   We shouldn’t have to mention this, but we’ve heard horror stories amongst horror stories about there not being any party food at a party – can you believe it? Food is a staple at any party and it’s often the deciding factor on whether your party is a success or a fail. When choosing the catering for a party, it’s crucial to honour attendees’ dietary requirements. Ask people to RSVP with their dietary requirements or ask co-workers their preferred food options so that everyone feels included on the day of the event.

   Make sure all attendees have all the details

   Sounds simple but you would be surprised how many people often forget to mention to guests the most important information regarding the party. It’s important to let people know the basic party details in order for everyone to have a positive experience. Let people know when and where the party will be held – just because it’s a work-related party doesn’t mean you have to host it at the office. Let them know whether alcohol will be served so that they can sort a designated driver or leave their car at home and get a taxi or public transport. Let them know if they can bring a plus one – you don’t want that picky and annoying employee kicking up a fuss because they didn’t realise that they could bring their equally annoying other half. And finally, inform people of the theme and dress code. This is a MUST DO when inviting people to a themed event. You don’t want those office pictures ruined because someone came in a Hawaiian shirt when the dress code was black tie.

   We can 100% guarantee that if you follow these simply but effective tips on how to throw a stellar office party then it will be a huge success and will go down extremely well with employees and co-workers. Need help in planning your office party? Big Foot Events are here to help! We’ve got a dedicated team of event and party planners with over 15 years of experience in the events industry.

   Take a look at our Office Party in a Box Packages where you simply pick the theme and we take care of the rest!

2. Stay Connected With Customers Through Virtual Events

   27th April 2020 3:49 pm Leave a Comment

   Stay connected with customers, employees and business associates by hosting Corporate Virtual Events.

   Firstly, we would like to say that our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by the Covid-19 Virus. We can appreciate and relate to the substantial impact this isolation is having on not only small businesses, but larger corporations and organisations as well. Here at Big Foot Events, we feel extremely lucky to still be working and planning ahead with our clients, booking high-quality live entertainment for their future events.

   With everything going on in the world right now, and as we are not able to work together in the same environment due to self-isolation, we have been finding new ways to communicate, not only with each other as a team, but also with our lovely clients. And that’s when we came across the new and popular trend of ‘Virtual Events’ – what’s that you ask? A virtual event is an online event that involves people interacting in a virtual environment on the web, rather than meeting in a physical location. You can think of it like Skype – but a lot more fun!

   You can host a business meeting, conference, team briefing or something more large scale such as a training session, live concert, summit or even a product launch with thousands of attendees. In fact, with a Virtual Event, you can host any type of function, party, or business affair for a fraction of the cost of an ‘in person’ event, due to not having venue, catering, and production costs. And the best thing about this upcoming trend is that you can plan, coordinate, and host your event from the comfort of your own home.

   Want to join the ‘Virtual Events’ world and host your own? Here at Big Foot Events, we have put together a ‘go to’ list of tips on how to host a successful Virtual Event.

   1. Create a strategy

   Just like when planning an ordinary ‘in person’ event, you need to have a game plan of what you are going to do, how you are going to do it and when you are going to do it by. Whether it is a big spectacle or a small function, whether it is going to be online or offline, whether it is going to be live or pre-recorded, every event needs a strategy. What do you want to get out of this event? Brand exposure, lead generation or just a fun social event for staff and business associates. How do you want to promote it? Through Social Media or just through your website. Do you plan to collaborate with a partner? Ask yourself these questions before you dive into the execution of your Virtual Event.

   2. Choose a time and date

   Again, just like planning a regular ‘in person’ event, choosing the perfect date and time for your event is crucial to its success. It sounds incredibly simple, but before deciding when to host it, do some research first. Check to see if there are any other events happening at your chosen time and decide if that event will impact your events attendance. You should also take into consideration the different time zones, especially if you plan to go Global.

   You need to choose a time that will work for all invitees. However, as this could prove tricky, we suggest targeting local individuals or businesses that share the same time zone as you. You can always record or live stream your event and put it on your website and Social Media for people to watch at a time that suits them. It may be worthwhile hosting multiple Live Streaming and Virtual Events for different time zones to reach a broader audience.

   3. Make sure you have the correct equipment

   Making sure you have all the equipment necessary to not only host your event, but make it run smoothly is essential. The great thing about ‘Virtual Events’ is that you do not need high tech and expensive equipment, in fact, all you need is a laptop, tablet or phone as well as a microphone and camera – It can be that simple. If you want to create something more unique and interesting for your attendees and highlight your business in a creative way, then add lighting and sound systems to enhance your viewers viewing experience. The last thing you want is technical issues that may cause a negative experience for attendees, resulting in a bad reputation or a lack of interest for your business. Therefore, make sure you test run and check your equipment works perfectly before the day of your actual event.

   4. Engage with your audience

   It is essential to engage with your audience; not engaging will cause people to lose interest in you and tune out, or worse – click off your event. There are a few simple but effective ways to connect with your audience virtually, including through the chat feature on your Live Streaming platform. Ask questions and prompt people to respond in the chat.

   Incentivise people to watch your live stream, seminar, podcast, webinar, training class or product launch until the end with a prize or special announcement. Encourage live tweeting with branded hashtags and include polls and quizzes for added interaction and fun. Ask for questions or simply shout out names of people who are just tuning in, and at the end, you should ask for feedback. Do not forget to have some rules for chat moderation if you are hosting a big live event with many attendees.

   5. Promote your event

   Promoting your event is key to achieving success. There is nothing worse than putting hours of effort into planning an event – virtual or live, and not promoting it properly and having no one turn up – or in this case, not tune in. It is crucial to implement a smart marketing strategy. Whichever way you choose to get the word out there, make sure you highlight the key selling points your event has to offer attendees.

   It could be a noteworthy speaker, skill sharing, an opportunity to network, and more. If you are just wanting to find a unique way to connect with your employees, then make sure you send a clear invitation stating the date and time – and why they should want to attend. Promote using Social Media, Website and Google ads to target a specific audience quickly and effectively. You could also use LinkedIn’s InMail ads for a more personal approach rather than a generic sponsored ad. One thing that is a must is promoting your event through your chosen Streaming platform. This will make it easy for people to access your event details and generate ‘walk up’ leads – equivalent to when people walk up to your event out of curiosity.

   With the above tips on creating a successful Virtual Event, you can generate a unique way of showcasing your company to potential new customers and raise brand exposure or keep connected with staff, business associates and existing customers.

   Take a look at Big Foot Events website for corporate themed event packages and source alternative virtual live entertainment.